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Infinite Summations: A Rationality Litmus Test
D_Alex9y50

In the "proof" presented, the series 1-1+1... is "shown" to equal to 1/2 by a particular choice of interleaving of the values in the series. But with other methods of interleaving, the sum can be made to "equal" 0, 1 1/3 or indeed AFAICT any rational number between 0 and 1.

So... why is the particular interleaving that gives 1/2 as the answer "correct"?

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Crazy Global Warming Solution Ideas
D_Alex10y-40

"Powerwall" is just a big battery.

Yes... plus some electronics, like a rectifier, an inverter and control circuitry.

It might help compensate for the irregularities of solar and wind power.

Yes... that's partly what is was conceived to do. It also can compensate for the irregularities in demand.

But it only makes sense to use batteries for that after we have moved to much more renewables.

For storage of solar and wind power, this is a complex matter, and the short answer is "it depends". For demand management, it makes sense now.

It is much more efficient to store the power in the water magazines of existing hydro plants.

It is desirable to use hydro plants (where they exist) as swing producers. Pumped storage is not quite as energy-efficient as battery storage (roughly 75% for pumped vs 85% for Li batteries), though it can be cost-effective, in places where large, elevated reservoirs already exist.

But all this is besides the point, which is: There are proposals to "solve" global warming, which are implementable now, with today's technology, which furthermore have side effects which are on balance positive (like clean air in the cities).

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Crazy Global Warming Solution Ideas
[+]D_Alex10y-80
Open Thread August 31 - September 6
D_Alex10y50

Despite his frequent comments that he's "betting" on Trump and that Silver is "betting" against Trump, Adams's position is that gambling is illegal when pressed to actually bet.

How convenient for him.

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Open Thread August 31 - September 6
D_Alex10y70

Well... Scott Adams has a lot of money. I am willing to bet that Trump will NOT become president, at EVEN ODDS. Scott, if you read this, how about a wager? I propose a $10,000 stake.

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Stupid Questions August 2015
D_Alex10y30

If you are after descriptions of society in those days, try "Quo Vadis" by Henryk Sienkiewicz. Historical fiction about early days of Christianity, won a Nobel Prize for literature. Strong religious themes.

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Stupid Questions August 2015
D_Alex10y10

Or could we breed them for intelligence...? With such short periods between generations, we could reach superintelligence, maybe faster than other methods!

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List of Fully General Counterarguments
D_Alex10y60

The Big Lebowski: "Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man".

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Open Thread, Jul. 13 - Jul. 19, 2015
D_Alex10y80

What are my options apart from "emigrate and live next to a cryonics facility"?

You could start a cryonics facility in South Africa.

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Open Thread, Jul. 6 - Jul. 12, 2015
D_Alex10y30

Gets a big loan from Russia that prevents an economic collapse (20% likely)

I'll give 10:1 odds against this happening. Russia has its own economic problems now with the drop in the price of oil and Ukrainian conflict, and other issues... China might be more likely, though IMO both Russia and China are a scare ploy by the Greeks.

A somewhat likely possibility is: Greece leaves the EU, triggering an economic collapse, possibly followed by a political collapse. Then spends many, many years trying to sort out itself and wishing it had stayed.

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12A kind or reverse "tragedy of the commons" - any solution ideas?
11y
7
15Superintelligence fiction - "Understand", by Ted Chiang
12y
25
1A thought on the value of "rationality" as a value
12y
11
0Ray Kurzweil joins Google to work on AI (link)
12y
1
5Physicists To Test If Universe Is A Computer Simulation (link)
12y
49
12The Case against Killer Robots (link)
13y
25
6"Measuring the distribution of spitefulness" - link
13y
8
13Brain structure - scans reveal an amazingly regular pattern
13y
3
7Singularity Institute - mainstream media exposure in Australia
13y
3
4An interesting, novel approach to designing computer processors
14y
12
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